Parasites of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in North America: a systematic literature review and an analysis of contemporary data from anadromous populations from Nunavut

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Abstract
Parasites play a critical yet understudied role in Arctic ecosystems, particularly within key subsistence species such as Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus ). As the Arctic undergoes rapid climate-driven change, establishing baseline parasite biodiversity is essential for monitoring ecological shifts and anticipating emerging health and conservation concerns. This study provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of Arctic char parasites in the North American Arctic by integrating a systematic literature review with new empirical data from 378 Arctic char collected across five Nunavut areas (2020–2024). The literature review (30 studies, 1956–2024) documented 67 parasite taxa—48 identified to species—with helminths (nematodes, cestodes, trematodes, acanthocephalans) dominant. Overall, 82% of taxa occurred in anadromous Arctic char and 54% in freshwater forms, including 22 species unique to anadromous fish. Our empirical assessment identified 35 parasite taxa—23 to species level—including several previously unreported from Arctic char in this region. Common and widespread parasites documented in the empirical assessment included Brachyphallus crenatus , Derogenes varicus , Bothrimonus sturionis , and Alloopistholecithum gibbosum , although notable spatial variation occurred in community composition and infection intensity. The occurrence of rare and previously unreported parasites may suggest emerging shifts in host–parasite dynamics potentially linked to changing prey availability and northward species range expansions. Together, these findings establish an essential baseline for Arctic char parasite biodiversity and highlight the need for continued monitoring to track future changes driven by climate warming, shifting food webs, and their implications for fish health and food security in northern Indigenous communities.
Funding Information
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2018–5692)
  • Fisheries & Oceans Canada

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